The invention relates to a mine with at least one ejectable sub-munitions body.
A mine of this type is known, for example, from German Published, Non-Examined Patent Applications DE 40 34 618 A1, DE 40 41 767 A1 and DE 41 31 875 A1. It is used to combat enemy armor and also to combat low-flying helicopters and essentially consists of an ejectable sub-munitions body provided with a seeker fuse as well as a cup-shaped starting device. After sensing an enemy target, the sub-munitions projectile is propelled from the starting device to a sufficient altitude of, for example, 200 m, from where the sub-munition then is lowered suspended from a parachute and in the process searches the ground for the target, for example in a helical pattern. As soon as the target has been detected by the sub-munitions projectile, the latter generates a projectile flying in the direction of the target, for example by explosive deformation of a projectile-forming liner.
The known mines of the type in accordance with the species have the particular disadvantage that the respective sub-munitions projectile must have a propulsion device (rocket propulsion) for propelling it to the intended altitude. This requires a relatively large structural volume of the sub-munitions projectiles. In addition, such rocket propulsion devices are relatively expensive to manufacture. Finally, the sidewalls of the cup-shaped starting devices of the known mines must have exhaust gas opening for preventing too great an initial acceleration, which could result in danger to the immediate vicinity of the mine when the sub-munitions projectile starts up.